Butt-cutter mechanism for corn-husking machines.



S. E. & W. W. MORRAL. BUTT CUTTER MECHANISM FOR 001m HUSKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.23. 1909.

Patented Dec. 22, 191 1.

5 SHEET8SHEET 1.

witweoaao S. a; W. W MOBRAL. BUTT CUTTER MECHANISM FOR 001w HUSKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 23, 1909. JSELQQO Patented Dec; 22, 191%.

5 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

S.u E. & W. W. MORRAL. BUTT CUTTER MECHANISM FOR CORN-BUSHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 23, 1909.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914;

5 SHEETS SHEET 3.

% Sill ain-imam:

s. E. &-W. W. MORRAL.

BUTT CUTTER MECHANISM FOR CORN HUSKING MACHINES.

1 APPLICATION FILED DEG 23. 1909. r L i y 1 21 $35, Paten'bed Dec. 22, 1914'.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEBT4.

III

I ll n 8-. E. & WDW. MORRAL. BUTT CUTTER MECHANISM FOR 001m HUSKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC..23.1909.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

5 SHEETS SHEET 5.

uurrnn strains rarnnr onnion.

SAMUEL E. MOBRAL AND WILLIAM W. MORRAL, 0F MORRAL, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Application filed December 23, 1909. Serial No. 534,583.

Toall whom it may concern Be it known that We, SAMUEL E. Monnan and VVILLIAM WV. lllonnan, citizens of the United States, residing at lrlorral, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented certain ne and useful Improvements in .llutt-Cutter Mechanism tor Cornilusking Machines, of which the following is a specification. eference being had therein to the zu-cmnpanying drawings.

This inventirui relates to corn husking machines.

The object of the invention is to provide a single machine of compact arrangement which will receive an ear of green corn as it comes from the stalk, sever the butt therefrom. remove the husk and silk and deliver the ear in condition to go to thecutting machine.

To this end itis a further object of the invention to so construct and arrange the butt-removing mechanism and the husking mechanism that the ear of corn will be successively acted upon by said mechanisms and will he maintained in a position to be properly engaged by both of said mecha nisms; further. to so arrange said mechanism that a single feeding device will re ceive the ear of corn, present the same to the several operating mechanisms and deliver the hushed and cleaned ear to the discharge chute; to so construct the bushing mechanism that parts thereof will constitute the silk removing devices, which devices will act upon the ear simultaneously with the basking mechanism; and further, to so construct the machine as a whole that the ears of corn will be ted to the several operating devices and maintained in proper relation thcretowithont the use of grippingdcvirzes. thereby simplifying the construction and operation of the machine and rendering the same less liable to disarrangement or breakage.

ln the accmnpanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combined butt-removing and husking machine embodying our invention; Fig. '2 is a side elevation of that side of such a machine opposite the side shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken through the upper portion oi such a machine; Fig. i is a detail plan view of the bushing rollers: Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. 6 is a horizontal, sectional view, taken on the line cutter 8 w w of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the rollers shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 8 is a detail view of a modified form of the holding roller.

In these drawings We have illustrated one embodiment of our invention and have shown the same as comprising a main frame consisting of side .members lconnected one to the other by transverse bolts or bars 2 having mounted thereon spacing sleeves 3, which sleeves are arranged between the side members 1. This main frame is supported by standards or legs 4: which are secured to the respective side members 1 by means of the bolts 2 and are mounted at their lower ends upon supporting blocks or transversely extending bases 5 which serve to tie together the legs of each pair, that is, the two legs at each end of the machine. Longitudinally extending side members or bars 6 are secured to the legs on the respective sides of the machine by means of bolts '7 and serve both to connect together the legs (11 the same side of the machine and to form a support for certain parts of the mechanism to be hereinafter described.

The butt-removing mecha-nismzsis prefer ably mounted on'the upper portion of the main frame and between the ends thereof. This mechanism is here shown as comprising a butt-removing device, such as a rotary mounted on a shaft 9 extending transversely to the main frame and journalcd in bearings 10 arranged at the opposite sides thereof. In order that the retary cutter may be of a proper diameter and supported in a proper relation to the main frame the bearings 10 are preferably formed in upwardly extending arms or portions 11 of brackets 12 which are rigidly secured to the respective side membersof the main frame. The shaft 9 and the r0- tary cutter are driven by means of a sprocket chain 13 which extends about a sprocket wheel 14 secured to the shaft 9,

about a second sprocket wheel 15 adjustably mounted on the adjacent side member of the main frame and over a third sprocket Wheel Ni carried by a shaft 17 to which motion is inmarted in a manner hereinafter described. The ears of corn are fed to the rotary cutter 8 along the-upper surface ofa bed-plate or table top 18 which is arranged between the two side members of the main frame near the upper edges thereof and extends for a considerable portion of the length of said main frame. The ears'of corn are placed or. this bed-plate and are carried over the same by means of suitable feeding mechanism, which, as here shown. comprises an endless carrier consisting of two sprocket chains 19, one of which is arranged near each side member of the main frame. The sprocket chains 19 extend about sprocket wheels 20 mounted on a shaft 21 journaled in the mainframe near one end of the plate 18, the two sprocket wheels 20 being arranged near the opposite side members of the main frame. The shaft 21 is preferably journaled in adjustable bearings 22,

the adjustments ofwh ch are accomplished by means of set screws 23. Thesprocket chains 19 also extend about sprocket wheels 24.- mounted on the shaft 17 near the op 21 posite end of the bed-plate 18.- Motion may be imparted to the endless carrier in any suitable manner,,but we have here shown the shaft 21 carrying the sprocket wheelsQO as having mounted on one end thereof a 25 sprocket Wheel 25, about which extends a sprocket chain 26. This sprocket chain also extends about a sprocket wheel 27 mounted .on a stud shaft 28. to which motion is im parted by 'means of a second sprocket wheel which also extends about a sprocket Wheel 31 mounted on a driving shaft 32 journaled in suitable bearings carried by the brackets 12 which are mounted upon, the main frame. Motion may be imparted to this shaft in any suitable manner. Inthe present instance it is shown as having a belt wheel 38, by means of which it may be driven from a suitable power mechanism. 4

Supported by the two chains 19 at a point removed therefrom and extending transversely to the main frame'are suitable car engaging devices. such as rollers 51. These rollers are preferably connected to the t5 chains b'y journaling the same in suitable brackets, which, as here shown comprise transverse bars 52 of av length greater than the distance between the chains 19 and hav- "ing their ends'upturned to form lugs 53 in which the rollers 51 are journaled. The rollersare mounted in the lugs 53 in such a position th at they will extend in front of the transverse bars 52. These bars or brackets 52' are connected to the chains 19 by means of links or arms 54: which are rigidly securedto the bars 52 and are connected at their opposite ,ends to the chains 19. These links or arms are of such a length that the brackets and the rollers carried thereby will besupported at sucha distance from the chains as to cause both the bracket and the roller to extend above the bed-plate or support 18. f The-ear of corn moved along the bed- 55 plate or'fixed supper, 18 toward the rotary 29 about which extends a' sprocket chain 30.

cutter 8 and i s engaged by a positively actuated means for moving the same transversely of the fixed support to bring the butt-end of the car into such a position that the proper portion thereof will be removed by said cutter. In the present instance this positively actuated means comprises a roller 31 arranged longitudinally'of the main frame,

preferably near that side thereof on which the rotary 'cutter is mounted and having its forward end tapered, as shown at 35, to permit the ear of corn to more readily pass beneath the same. This roller may have a smooth friction-surface which will engage the ear or it may be provided with longi- 'tudinal ribs, as shown in Fig. 8. In order that the roller may accommodate itself to ears of diii'erent sizes and mayexert a proper amount of pressure on each ear 1t 15 so mounted as to have a free vertical movement and the weight of the roller and the parts which move with it are sufficient to exert the necessary amount of pressure on the ear to cause the same to be moved by the rotation of the roller. Yet this Weight is not sufiicient to crush the grain or in anyway injure the ear of corn. To this end the roller is mounted on a shaft 36 which extends rearwardly therefrom through a sleeve 37 forming a part of a casting 38 which also 9;. comprises a second ,sleeve39 arranged substantially parallel with the sleeve 37 and loosely mounted on a shaft 40, which shaft is journaled in bearings 41 carried by the bracket 12. The shaft 10 is provided at its outer end with a gear 42 which meshes with a second gear 43 mounted on a shaft l journalcd in bearings 15 arranged on the bracket 12 atpoints beneath the bearings 4:1. The outer end of the shaft 11 has mounted there- .5 on a bevel gear 46 which meshes with a second bevel gear 17 mounted on the drive shaft 32. Thus, the shafts 44 and 40 are rotated from the drive shaft 32 and motion is imparted from the shaft 40 to the shaft 36, car- 1,9 rying the roller 34 by means of a sprocket chain 48 which extends about sprocket wheels 49 and 50 mounted on the shafts 36 and 40, respectively. The amount of movement imparted to the 1 5 car by the roller 3& is limited by means of I suitable guides, which, in the present instance. comprise two plates 55 and 56 supported by the bracket 12'and one of-the frame members 1, respectively.- These plates extend parallel one with the other and are spaced apart a distancesufiicientto permit the butt of the ear to'en'ter the space between them but are arranged to engage and form a stop forflthe end of the ear lower; plate 56 preferably"adjustable to' ieo v While the butt is being severet enable the space between the two plates to varied. The flared ends of the guides '01 plates 55 and 56 are here shown as entending a slight distance beyond the adgacent end of the roller 34, and, consequently, they are in a position to limit the movement of the car as soon as lb is engaged by the roller. Shearer bars 57 are secured to the main frame and extend a short distance above the level of the bed-plate or support 18 and serve to support the butt-end of the ear l therefrom by the cutter and thus prevent the ca r from tipping as it would otherwise do owing to the tapered shape thereof. v

As the car is carried along the bed-plate or support 18 by the feed rollers 51 and is brought into engagement with the edge of the cutter 8 there is a tendency on the part of the tip of the ear, that is, the end opposite the butt. to move away from the roller and to turn at an acute angle to the cutter 8, this being due to the tapered shape of the car and the resistance oilcred by the cutter to the forward movement of the ear. turning of the ear results in causing ear to bind upon the cutter, prevents t cutter from making a square cut and so d1splaces the car that it is discharged from the butt-removing mechanism in improper position for presentation to the bushing mechanism. In order to overcome this tendency of the ear to turn when the butt is cngagtd by the cutter We have provided means for resisting the forward movement of the tip of the car, this resistance b lng sulliricnt to maintain the ear substantially parallel with the feed roller. As here shown this rcsistaucc is offered by means of a spring :78 which is secured to a fixed part of the machine youd that point at which the ear is engaged by the cutter and has its forward portion bent upon itself so that it extends downwardly and rearwvardly. The forward end of the spring normally at such a height to permit the ear to pass beneath the same and the downwardly extending portion thereof a steady pressure on the car, which increases as it is fed against the cutter. 'lo better resist the movement of the tip of the ear we prefer to provide a second spring 59 arranged immediately beneath the spring and coiiperating therewith. This accomplished by forming an opening 60 in the bed-plate orsupport 18 at a point beneath the spring 58"and securing the spring 59 to the lower side of the bed-plate on the forward side of the opening 60 and causing the free end of said spring to extend upwardly and rearwardly through the opening. Thus, the two s rings 58 and engage the car on the oppi e sides thereoi and offer a res "tunes to the forward movement thereof 1 nich is uniform on both the and extends to a point betop and bottom of the ear, thus preventing the ear from tipping. We have also found it desirable to provide still another spring to engage the car as it leaves or is about to leave the springs 58 and 59. This spring is hr-re shown at 61. is of a shape similar-to ti 7 of the spring 58 and is so supported as to engage the car at a, point between the spring 538 and thecutter and thus maintain the car in its proper relation to the feed roller until the butt is completely severed and the cutter no longer oliers resistance to the forward movement of the ear.

The bushing mechanism is located at a point beyond the butt-removing mechanism and is ringed to receive the ear of corn after the butt has been removed therefrom. ln the present instance we have shown the corn hashing mechanism as supported from the main .rame at a point beneath the butt removing mechanism. lve have also shown chute or guideway leading from the buttremoring devices to the bushing devices, and mechiu ism for positively moving an ear of corn through the chute and delivering the same to the bushing mechanism. This chute is preferably formed by curving the rca r end of the bed-plate l8 downwardlygas shown at 6'2, and arranging a curved guide plate 63 at a point sufliciently removed from the curved end 62 of the bed-plate to permit the car ofcorn to pass between the two plates. M the present instance this curved plate extends from a point immediately in the rear of the rotary cutter,'about the end of the feed belt where it passes over the sprocket \vlicel and to the bushing mechanism. The lower portion of the plate, that is,.thc portion adjacent to the bushing mechanism. is preferably flat, as shown in Fig. 3. The feed mechanism for positively moving too ear of corn through this chute is, in the present instance, the same feed belt that conveys the ear"'of corn to the buttremoving devices, the chute being so arranged that the feed rollers 51 pass through the chute and convey the corn to the bushing mechanism.

l lbvioi'isly, if the ear of corn were carried to a point beyond the butt-removing device and discharged into the chute it would pass through the same by gravity, but. in doing so it would twist and turn. until, when it reached the lower end of the chute and was ready to be delivered to the husking mechanism. it would be liable to occupy a. position such that the bushing mechanism would not properly act on the-same. By employin; the positive feed mechanism this difiiculty is overcome. Of course after the ear of corn has passed into the chute it will drop away from the feed roller which has been conveying it and will. move. through the chute by gravity, but this movement is limited by the next preceding feed roller and the space between the two rollers is lot" such that the ear will not turn or twist to any material extent 'in passing from one to the other. 'The ear will follow the preceding feed roller through the chute until it "reaches the lower extremity of the curved portion of the chute, at which point the car will cease to move by gravity and will come "to a stop until it is engaged by the feed roller which follows it. This roller will move the car along the flat portion of the chute and will cause thesam'e to assume a position substantially parallel with the feed roller,-in which position it is. delivered to the husking mechanism and is properly acted upon to remove the husk therefrom.

The husking mechanism, as here shown. consists of a plurality of pairs of husking rollers, the rollers of each pair being rotated in opposite directions so that they will pinch tlltf llllSli between them and pull it from the ear. In the present construction we have employed two pairs of these rollers or four rollers in all. The two central I rollers, or the inner roller of each pair, are journaled in plates 64 which are rigidly secured to and depend from the two side membersof the main frame. The outermost rollers are journaled in plates 65 which are piiotally connected at their upper ends to the opposite side members of the main frame and are resiliently connected 'at-their lower ends to the plate 64., this connection preferably comprising, in each instance. a bolt 66 extending through a lug spending lug 68 on the pivoted plate 65. A spring 9 is coiled about the bolt cc. and conf ned between the lug 68'and a nut 70. The tension ofthis spring tends to hold the outermost roller of each pair in contact with the innermost roller of the corresponding" pair. but permits the rollers to move apart sufliciently to allow the. husks to pass between the same. In this manner we secure a strong gripping effect by he rollers without liability of choking the rollers with husks. The huski'ng rollers may. of course, be of any suitable construction. but. in the construction here shown. they are made up of plurality of sections or cylinders of iron covered with rubber. The first pair of rollers. comprising the individual-rollers 71 and T2, are provided with special means for loosen ng the husk.

on the ear. To this end the sections of iron and rubber of the roller '72 are spaced apart and have arranged between thenrlfoothed disks or star wheels 73. while the roller :7] is provided at points in alinement with the toothed disks 73 with grooves 74' adapted to receive the teeth of the disk 73. It will be apparent that '1 he toothed diskswill tear and loosen the husk on the ear in such a manner as to enable the rubber covered por tions of the rollers to more readily grip the 57 on the plate ()l and through a corre-.

same. Further, the rollers 71.and 72 are provided at one end with intermeshing toothed disks-75, which disks are adapted to engage the tip of the ear and tear the husk loose therefrom. The several'sections comprising each roller are mounted upon shafts 7B which journaled in the plates M and 65 and have arranged between the come slack. A second pair of rollers 7 8 are built up merely of sectionsof rubber covered iron and serve to remove those portions of the husks which are not taken off by the first pair of rollers. Movement may be imparted to these rollers in any suitable manner, but we have here shown the shaft of each roller as extending beyond the supporting plate at one side of the machine and provided with a pinion 79, the pinions of the adjacent rollers intermeshing. One of these shafts, preferably the shaft of the roller 71, extends beyond the pinion and has mounted thereon a sprocket wheel 80, about which extends a sprocket chain 81v which also extends about a sprocket wheel 82 on the drive shaft This sprocket chain also extends about an idle sprocket wheel 83 adjustably mounted on the main frame and serving both as a guide and as a ti ghtener for the chain.

Suitable devices are arranged above the husking' rollers of each pair to engage the and may exert a uniform pressure on the ears they are so mounted as to be capable of a vertical movement. To. accomplish this the first'brush, in the order'inwhichthey are encountered by the ear, is journaled in the ends of a pair of parallel arms 85 which extend rearwardly from the shaft 28, on

which, they are pivotally ounted. The sec- 0nd brush 84: is journale in the forward ends of a second pair of arms 86 which are pivotally mounted upon the shaft of the first one to the ot ,er by means of a sprocket chain 87 extending about sprocket wheels 88 brush 84. T e two .brusnesS are connected 1 menace to remoue the silk from the ears of corn after I the husks'have been removed. The brushes engage the ear and remove the silk therefrom simultaneously with the action of the husking rollers, the brush engaging the silk as soon as the rollers have pulled the husk from the ear sufiicientlyto expose the silk.

As above stated, the husking rollers of the first pair are provided with two interi'iishing toothed disks 75 which assist in loosening and tearing off the husks from the ears by engaging this husk near the tip of the ear. Inasmuch as the ears vary in length and all of the ears have been moved to the opposite side of the main frame in order that the butts may be removed there from, it is desirable that some means should be provided for moving the ear toward those ends of the rollershaving the toothed disks 75, thereby enabling these disks to engage the tip of the ear. F or this purpose we have mounted at a point adjacent to the lirst pair of husking rollers two tapered rollers which are supported in such a pos1- tion as to engage the ears of corn and move the same toward that side of the machine opposite the cutter 8. These tapered rollers are shown at 92 and each roller is provided with a shaft 93 which extends through a longitudinal bearing formed in a bearing bracket 9%, which bearing bracket has also a transverse bearing, by means of which it is pivotally supported on the shaft 17. That end of the shaft 93 which extends beyond the longitudinal bearing of the bracket 9% has secured thereto a bevel pinion 95 which meshes with a second bevel pinion 96 secured to the shaft 17. The shaft 93 of the roller extends through the slotted lower end of the bracket 97 which serves to limit the downward movement of the roller, but permits the roller to rise and fall and thus accommodate itself to the various sizes of cars. The two rollers may be arranged in any desired position, but we prefer to arrange them near the opposite side members of the main frame.

Suitable means are also provided for removing the silk and bits ofhusk from the husking rollers and maintaining the same free from obstructions of this character. This means preferably comprises a plurality of rotary brushes 98 which have their shafts journaled in brackets 99 which are mounted on the bearing plates in which are journaledthe shafts of the husking rollers. These brushes are rotated by means of a sprocket chain 100 extending about sprocket wheelslOl' secured to the ends of the shafts of the respective brushes and also extending about an idle sprocket wheel 102 adjustably mounted on the main frame and a sprocket wheel 103 secured to the shaft of the outer husking roller of the last pair.

The endless feed belt which has conveyed the ears of corn through the butt-removing mechanism, through the chute and across the husking rollers, discharges the same into a chute 104:, which, in turn, delivers the husked ear into a receptacle or into a suitable conveyer, as may be desired. The husks drop from the husking rollers onto an endless belt conveyer 105 which extends about drums or rollers 108 having their shafts journaled in brackets 107 which are adjustably mounted on the longitudinal side members 6. One of these shafts, that near the forward end of the machine, has a sprocket wheel 108 about which extends 'the sprocket chain 25 which also extends about the sprocket wheel 25 of the shaft 21 and the sprocket Wheel 27 of the shaft 28. The butts which are severed by the rotary cutter drop into a chute 109 and are also delivered to the conveyer 105 which extends beyond the main frame at one end.

The operation of the machine as a whole will bereadily understood from the descripr 'tion of the operation of the several parts thereof, and it will be apparent that the construction and arrangement of the several parts comprising the machine is such that an ear of corn is successively presented to the butting and husking devices in a proper position to enable those devices to act thereon; that the ears of corn are positively fed through the machine and presented to the butting and husking devices and maintained in proper engagement with those devices by means of a continuous feed mechanism which'engages the loose ears without the necessity of employing gripping carriers. Further, it will be apparent that means are provided for maintaining the ear substantially parallel with the feeding roller while it is in engagement with the butt removing device, thus retaining the ear in its proper position relative to said butt-removing de vice. It will also be apparent that means are provided for holding the ear in engagement with the husking rollers, rotating it while in such engagement and for removing the silk therefrom while it is in engagement with the husking rollers.

lVe wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described our invenvice, a device separate from said feedingguide, and a device supported independently of said feeding means and said supporting device and arranged to engage the tip of the -ear to prevent the samefrom moving forward relatively to said feeding means.-

2. A machine of the character described comprising a support for an ear of corn, a butt-removing device arranged adjacent to said support, a guide extending along said support and leading to said butt-removing device, means to feed said ear of corn along said support toward said butt-removing demeans to hold said ear of corn against said guide, and a yielding member arranged above the path of said ear of corn and extending forwardly and downwardly in a position to be engaged by the tip of said ear to hold the ear against movement about either a verticalams or a transversehorizontal axis when the butt is engaged'by said butt-removing device.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a support for an ear of corn, a butt-removing device arranged adjacent to said support, a guide extending along said support and leading to said butt-removing device, means to feed said ear of corn along said support toward said butt-removing device, a device separate from said feeding means to hold said ear of corn against said guide, and a pair of yielding members arranged above and below the supporting surface of said support in substantially the same vertical plane and converging forwardly into the path of said earof corn;

whereby the converging endsof said members will be engaged by said ear of corn and resist the movement of said ear relatively to said feeding means when the butt of the ear is engaged by .said-butt-removing device.

4. In a mecha'nism'of the character described, the combination, with a butt-removing device, a guide, and a feeding member for moving an ear of corn along said guide toward said butt-removing device, of a pair of converging springs adapted to receive said ear of corn between them and to offer resistance to the forward movement of that end of said ear opposite the end engaged by said butt-removing device, and another spring arrangedbeyond said pair of springs and adapted to engage said car after it has been disengaged from said pair of springs.

nig surface and below the 5. A machine of the character described comprising a fixed and substantially flat supporting surface for an ear of corn, a buttremoving device arranged adjacent to saidsupporting surface, a conveyor to move an ear of cornjover said support to said buttremoving device comprising a carrier arranged'below said supporting surface and having an ear-engaging member arranged,

above said supporting surface and connected with said carrier, and a device arranged), above and coiiperating with said supporting" surface to' move said ear of corn transversely thereto while it isin engagement with said ear-engaging member. v

6. A machine of the character described comprising a fixed and substantially flat supporting surface for an ear of corn, abutt-- car of corn transversely thereto and into a position to be acted upon by said butt-re.-

inoving device, aconveyer comprising belts arranged on opposite sides of said supportlane thereof arms carried by said belts, an ear-engaging members mounted on the respective arms and extending above and transversely to said.

supporting surface, whereby said conveyer can operatively engage an ear of corn of any length and move it longitudinally to said table without interfering with the transverse movement of said ear of corn.

7. A machine of the character described 'comprising a fixed and substantially flat support for an ear of corn, a device to op-. erate on said ear of corn while it is carried by said support, a guide to position said ear with relation to said operating device, means to act onsaid ear of corn while it is on said support to move the same into engagement with said guide, a conveyer comprising belts on opposite sides of said support, ear-engaging members extending across said support and connected at the opposite ends thereof to said conveyer belts and adapted to engage the ears on said supports and move the same between said holding means and said support. described 8. A; machine of the character comprising a fixed and substantially flat support for an ear of corn, a device to'operate on said ear of corn while itis carried by said support, a guide to position said ear of corn with relation to said operating device, means arranged above said support to act on said ear of corn while it is on said support to move the same into-engagement with said guide, a conveyer comprising two endless belts arranged on opposite sides of said support, a plurality of arms carried by each of said belts, and ear-ensupport and adapted to be moved between said holding means and said support.

9. A machine of the character described comprising a device to operate upon an ear of corn, :1 table to support an ear of corn during the;operation of said devlce and leaving one end curved downward at a point beyond said operating device, a feeding device to convey said ear of corn over said table to said operatingdevice, and a curved plate coiiperating with thecurved end of said table to constitute a chute through which ears of corn are discharged after they have been acted upon by said operating device.

10. A machine of the character described comprising a device to operate upon an ear of corn, a supporting table to support said ear of corn during the operation of said device and having one end curved downward at a point beyond said operating device, a curved plate supported adjacent to the curved portion of said table and c0- opcrating therewith to form a chute, and a conveyor comprising a belt and ear-engaging members carried by said belt and arranged to move over said supporting table and through said chute.

11. In a machine of the character described, a guide, a butt-removing device, a

holding device comprising two cooperating members arranged to engage an ear of corn and hold the same 1n engagement with said guide, one of said cooperating members'being fixed withrelation to the other member and substantially flat to form a surface against which the ear of corn may bear and the other of said cooperating members having a feeding movement and being auto matically adjustable toward and awa from the other of said members, and ceding means comprising ear-engaging devices arranged to pass between said cooperating members to move said ear of corn along saidguide.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a butt-removing device, a guide, a fixed support for an ear of corn, and positive means for moving an ear of corn along said guide and into engagement with said butt-removing dei ice, of positively actuated means arranged above said support and coiiperating therewith to hold said ear of corn against said guide while it is being moved along said support.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a butt-removing device, a fixed support for an ear of corn, and means for feeding said ear of corn along said support, of a guide comprising two substantially parallel members spaced apart to receive the butt-end of said ear between them, and means for positively holding said ear of corn in engagement with said guide.

14. in a machine of the character described, the combination, with a butt-removing device, a guide, a fixed support for an ear of corn, and feeding means for moving an ear of corn along saidguide into engagement with said butt-removing device, of a positively actuated member arranged above said support and cotiperating therewith to hold said ear of corn against said guide while it is being acted uponby said feeding means, said member being automatically adjustable relatively to said fixed support to enable it to accommodate itself to ears of diiferent size.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a supporting table for an ear of corn, 2. butt-removing device supportedadjacent to said table, a guide leading to said butt-removing device and a feeding device for moving an ear 0% corn over said supporting table and into engagement with said butt-removing device, of a positively actuated holding roller arranged above said supporting table and arranged to engage said ear of corn to hold the same against said guide while it is bein acted upon by said feeding means, sai roller being free to move vertically to accommodate itself to ears of different size.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

' SAMUEL E. MORRAL.

WILLIAM W. MORRAL. Witnesses I C. J. ScnUL'rz, H. C. SCHULTZ. 

